The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-04-01
The Deer Creek and Susquehanna Rail
road

The slow progress made by the D. c. & S.
Railroad enterprise is not encouraging 10 its
projectors. Their solicitor has now almost
tions and can only report $37 450 subscribed
to the capital stock. No one who knows
how greatly this Eastern and middle section
of our county stands in need of railroad IA
cilites and how great are its natural resour-
ces and material wealth, could have suppos-
ed that an enterprise like this would receive
such inadequate support from so many pco-
pie deeply interested in its success, The eva
sive reply of those who promise "to do some
thing for the road but not now," is scarcely
less dlscouraging Than direct refusal, as it
adds nothing TO the subscription list. In
fact, such evasion has tinge of insincerity
about it when one calls to mind the fact that
. the agreement they are asked to subscribe
to only calls for payments in installments Of
ten per cent. at time, and under the most
favorable circumstances there seems to be no
prospect of the calls beginning for many
months to come. 1t would certainly seem
that the man who promises to contribute to
this enterprise but refuses 10 subscribe to the
stock "at this time" either has some private
reasons hard TO divine or is insincere in his
professions. Such transparent evasion raises
more than suspicion that the true reason
for such action on his part is entire lack of
all public spirit and selfishness which is
looking for somebody else 10 pay for the ben
efts he expects to receive.
The number Of names upon the subscrip-
ton book clearly shows that the need for
this railroad is felt by the people at large.
vVhere are many men who have subscribed
$50 and 800 who know it will take an effort
on their part to raise even that small amount.
But there are also many men who have large
property interests along this road and could
well afford to subscribe thousand dollars or
more, who content themselves with hun
dred or two. These people whose subscrip-
lions are SO out of proportion to the advan-
tages they acknowledge they will receive
from a railroad, really do the cause harm
for they prevent others more literally incln-
ed, or rather more awake to their own inter
est, from subscribing as much as they other
wise would. A niggardIy example is very
apt 10 be followed, particularly if it is op.
posed 10 generous impulse.
There are others who, from their known
wealth and the extent of their landed inter
ests, would naturally be expected to support
literally railroad movement, who yet have
given this enterprise no support or enconr-
agement at all. Such men are simply blind
to their own interests-unless they are actua-
ted by selfishness and are holding back in
the hope some one will come forward and
build the railroad for them. Such hopes are
vain, for there is nothing about this move
ment more certain than that it must fail I'M
less it receives greater measure of popular
support
Inc incorporates are assured that with
$4,000 of bone fide subscriptions and the
right of way given the road will be built
The people in the section most directly in
terestcd can certainly raise that amount
Not one of them would hesitate to invest In
mortgage or secure interest paying bond;
and this railroad, if made, would pay them
much larger interest, not indirectly by in
creasing the value Of their property, but by
decreasing the expense of raising their crops
and getting them 10 market The value of
the railroad can be computed in dollars and
cents, and those who want it should make
some present sacrifices for the sake of future
Drofits